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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Over the last few weeks, Saudi Arabia has been bombing Yemenis in to submission, in what one analyst has called "The Arabian Game of Thrones."

"...the House of Saud has been playing different Yemeni governments, the Houthis, the Muslims Brother hood, and al-Qaeda all against one another in a Saudi real life version of Geroge RR Martin's best-selling book series Game of Thrones," explains Mahdi Darisu Nazemroaya.

Why is it so important to have control over Yemen? It is adjacent to one of the major choke-points in oil movement from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the rest of the world, including Europe-- the Bab Al-Mandeb Straight. But, some analysts fear that Iran has the will and the ability to take over control of that straight, effectively taking control over the balance of power in the region.

"If the Iranians were to gain access to a de facto base in some port or another controlled by the Houthis whom they have aided in the latter’s fight, the balance of power in the sub-region would shift significantly," J. Peter Pham of U.S. think tank the Atlantic Council.

With this in mind, it makes the Saudi's desired control over the country understandable, but the world has not agreed with their cruel and almost random approach, which has included the bombing and murder of innocent civilians in one of the world's poorest countries, leaving behind a dire situation indeed. The war has been so bad, that China and Russia has sent warships in to the region to evacuate their own people, Yemenis and foreigners (including Americans who have been left stranded by their own country) alike. And, Iran has promised to send its own ship, filled with humanitarian aid and accompanied by several of its warships, striking fears that such an initiative is nothing more than a ploy to attempt a takeover of the area.

Where will all of this lead? It is, in my estimation, the beginning of a horrible end to the House of Saud, which will be brought to its knees by spillover violence within the borders of Saudi Arabia as soon as late Summer or early Fall 2015. The royal family or "House of Saud" will fall in to a state of chaos, as the Iranians quietly orchestrate the placement of their own puppet government by 2016.

In the midst of all of this, I would not be surprised to see the public flogging and maybe even a beheading or two of one or more members of the royal House of Saud, but considering the Saudis Medieval style treatment of its own people to date, it would only be fitting.

In the meantime, one might wonder about America's role in all of this. Yes, the proposed nuclear deal with Iran has been a catalyst to the Saudi's almost desperate attacks on Yemen. But, in my opinion, Iran is the real power-player in the Middle East--not Saudi Arabia or Israel--and are our best allies in that region at this time. Saudi Arabia and Isreal alike, have, and will continue to betray us.

The bottom line? The Americans are really scratching their heads, or so to speak, over how to handle this situation with the Saudis, and may simply let the chips fall where they may.